Dental impression tray



Nov. 3, 1953 M. P. SWEENEY DENTAL IMPRESSION TRAY Filed June 16, 1952 Fig. 5

' 'Me/w'n R Sweeney w m T A m V n w. 5 Y B Patented Nov. 3, 1953 NlTED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE DENTAL IMPRESSION TRAY 'Melvin'P. .Sweeney, I-Ianford, Calif.

Application June 16, 1952, :Serial'No. 293,714

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and 11seful imgrprovements inzdental impression trays and the primary'object of the presentinvention is toprovidea :dental impression tray having novel'and improved means for removably retainingca' charging materialwithin' the tray.

'- Another important object of the vpresent invention is to provide :a dental impression tray .in- ':volving a quick releaselockingmea-ns, whereby -:the elastic'impression material in the tray --may "be removed in a convenient manner without harmfully affectingxthemo'del material although the sameis not completely'set.

.A further object of the present invention *is'to provide a dental impression tray whose locking means for impression =material'is so designed as "to permit the use of -softer amo'delimaterials than was:heretoforeusedgsuch 'as'plaster of Paris or oasting-investment.

A still further :aim f the present invention is to provide a dental impression tray that is hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying-drawings forming parthereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, andin-which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the outer spring member used in the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the inner spring member used in the invention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the invention in modified form and with parts broken away; and,

Figure 7 is a plan view of the invention in further modified form and with parts broken away and shown in section. 7

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present inber or body portion having an upwardly curved flange l2 that is formed with spaced slots M. The bottom wall I6 of tray member I0 is pressed upwardly to form a hollow rib l8 that follows 'vention, the numeral l0 represents a tray mem- ,2 the. shape of the flange] 2. 'I'heirib llisprovidcd withspaced slots 20 that are located i-n-a plane spaced :parallelto and disposed closerto-the wall 16 than the plane through the slots l4.

Means is provided for releasably retaining an impression material within the tray member III.

This means comprises :inner and outer resilient;

elements -2 2 and-24 shown in Figures 4 :and'5,re-

spectively. Theouter :resilient element .22 comprises an arcuate or :U shaped spring '26 having spaced lugs 28 on its inner edge. vThe springs 'yieldingly embraces the flange 12 and the lugs 28 are urged-through the slots H into the-interior of the member ID.

The inner resilient element 24 alsotcomprises an arcuatei-or U-shaped spring .32. 'Spacedlugs 34 are formed on the outer edge'of the spring 32. The element 24 is disposed within therib I8 and bears against the inner surface of the rib with the lugs 34 urged through the-slots.

and into the interior of the member i=0.

Figure fi shows the two coacting spring looking members inumodified form. In this-embodiment, the outer'spring element 22a is-comprised of a U-shaped wire :member 1611 having spaced lugs 28a pressed laterally therefrom to -.extend inwardly-through the slots II in the flange of the :tray member.

The innerspring element-24a includes-an arcuate or "U -shaped wire member 320 having toutwardly projecting spaced lugstfla thatare urge'd through the slots 20 in the rib .18 of the tray member I Band into :the interior of thetray member.

Figure 7 illustrates the locking means for the impression material in further modified form. In this form of the invention, the locking means is composed of inner and outer groups of U- shaped resilient lugs 34b and 281) that will project through the slots 20 and I4 and into the interior of the tray member [0. The ends of the lugs 34b and 28b are turned outwardly to bear against the inner surface of rib l8 and the outer surface of flange [2 respectively.

Obviously, the number of slots I4 and 20 in the parts I2 and I8 of the-tray member may be increased or reduced, depending upon the character of the impression material placed in the tray member. The spring locking elements are quickly and readily removed from the tray member in a convenient manner after the impression material M has hardened and before the model material has hardened.

I The tray member In is formed with or fixedly secured to a hand gripping portion Illa having an aperture I06 therein for accommodating a wall fastener, whereby the tray member may be hung when not in use.

The tray member IQ may be constructed of any suitable material, such as aluminum, plastics, acrylic resins or metallic compositions.

The impression tray shown comprise an upper impression tray. A lower impression tray may be constructed quite similar to the upper impression tray although the shape may vary. The resilient locking means disclosed in Figures 1-7 inclusive will form a part of the lower tray.

In use, elastic impression materials are introduced into the impression tray as a paste or soft mass. The tray i then placed in the patients mouth and held steadily for about three or four minutes, during which time the elastic impression material hardens. The tray and impression are together withdrawn from the patients mouth.

.The next step is pouring artificial stone, plaster of Paris, of casting investment into the impression. When the model has hardened, the tray and impression. are jointly pulled from the model.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An impression tray comprising a tray member having an outer flange and a central hollow rib, anchoring means removably positioned in the rib and extending into the interior of the member for retaining a'charging material in the member, and additional anchoring means on the flange extending into the interior of the member for coacting with the first named means.

2. An impression tray comprising a tray member having an outer flange and a central rib, a re I silient member disposed about the flange and having portions extending through the flange and into the interior of the member, and an anchoring element Within the rib and having anchoring lugs extending through the rib and into the interior of the member.

3', An impression tray comprising a tray mem ber having an outer flange and a central rib, a resilient member disposed about the flange and having portions extending through the flange and into the interior of the member, and a resilient anchoring element Within the rib and having spaced lugs thereon projecting through the rib and into the interior of the member.

4. An impression tray comprising a tra member having an outer flange and. a central rib, a resilient member disposed about the flange and having portions extending through the flange and ,1; into the interior of the member, and an arcuate spring element having spaced lugs thereon, said spring element being received within said rib, and said rib having spaced slots accommodating the lugs.

5. In an impression tray comprising a tray member having a central hollow rib and an upstanding flange, said rib and said flange having spaced slots therein, an outer spring member about the flange and having lugs thereon extending inwardly through the slots in said flange, and an inner spring member within the rib and having spaced lugsextending through the slot in the rib and into the interior of said member.

6. In an impression tray comprising a tray member having a central hollow rib and an upstanding flange, said rib and said flange having spaced slots therein, an outer spring member about the flange and having lugs thereon extending inwardly through the slots in said flange, and an inner spring member within and yieldingly bearing against the walls of the rib and having spaced lugs thereon projecting through the slots in the rib'and into the interior of the member.

7. In an impression tray comprising a tray member having a central hollow rib and an upstanding flange, said rib and said flange having spaced slots therein, an outer spring member about the flange and having lugs thereon extending inwardly through the slots in said flange, and an inner spring member within the rib and having spaced lugs extending through the slot in the rib and into the interior of said member, said outer spring member yieldingly engaging the outer surface of said flange.

8. In an impression tray comprising a tray member, having an outer flange and acentral rib, both said flange and said rib having spaced slots, U-shaped lugs extending through the slots in both said flange and said rib and into the interior of said member.

MELVIN P. SWEENEY.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,352,545 Jeiferies June 27, 1-944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 7 Date 423,534. Great Britain Feb. 4, 1935 

